BMW Motorrad presents first autonomous bike

A self-driving BMW R 1200 GS recently made its first rounds at the BMW Group testing ground in Miramas, southern France.

The prototype machine was developed by graduate engineer, Stefan Hans, and his team and can accelerate away from a standstill, turn corners and stop without a rider on board.

So future BMW motorcycles could have advanced active safety technologies which could pull riders out of a possible collision, steer to avoid something in the road or even assist with lane change and cruise-control, similar to how active safety tech works on modern BMW cars.

As BMW engineer Stefan Hans notes in the video, the company never actually set out to create a self-driving motorcycle - it just wanted to figure out ways to improve motorcycle safety for riders the same way lane-keeping and autonomous braking systems help keep vehicle drivers safe. Who knows? There could eventually be a demand for self-riding bikes-though I don't see the purpose-but something something urban mobility.

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The plan here, thankfully, isn't to take over the role of the rider completely so don't bank on seeing autonomous BMW motorcycles on the market anytime soon.

What BMW is doing is using the platform to develop future systems and functions that can make motorcycling safer, more comfortable, and increase riding pleasure. The 3D printing process used in the frame uses carbon to create lightweight but high strength components including wheels.

These motorcycles are much safer than usual. Above all, the V2V communication between vehicles are in the foreground further enhancing safety and comfort for the motorcyclist through digital networking.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently issued a report calling for the deployment of more electronic motorcycle safety tech.

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